Framber Valdez Becomes First Astros Pitcher to Collect All-Star Game Win

Through the jeers, Framber Valdez and Kyle Tucker represented the Houston Astros in the 2022 All-Star Game.

Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker scheduled his lefty Framber Valdez for the third inning of the All-Star Game on Tuesday, and the ground-ball machine did his job. 

Valdez — who leads Major League Baseball in ground ball percentage (68.9%) — induced three ground outs in his perfect frame. Juan Soto, Manny Machado and Freddie Freeman were all retired by the lefty on 11 total pitches, six of them strikes.

The American League tacked on three runs in the top half of the fourth inning, putting Valdez in line for the victory. In his first All-Star appearance, Valdez left with a scoreless inning pitched and the win, the first by an Astros pitcher in All-Star Game history. 

Oakland Athletics' Paul Blackburn followed Valdez with a scoreless frame in the fourth inning. The righty hitched a flight with the Astros to Los Angeles following their three-game set in Houston, per Mark Berman of Fox 26 Houston. 

.@Athletics All-Star pitcher Paul Blackburn was set to fly commercial from Houston to LA. The Astros found out & offered him a ride on their charter: “It shows within Baseball it’s like a brotherhood. Everyone respects each other..I’m greatly appreciative of their organization” pic.twitter.com/uH5ejNLL87

— Mark Berman (@MarkBerman_) July 19, 2022

Kyle Tucker took two at-bats Tuesday as the lefty struck out to Cincinnati Reds' Luis Castillo in the fifth inning and popped out in the seventh inning. Tucker was listed as one of the three extra-inning home run derby competitors, if the contest remained tied after the ninth inning.

Justin Verlander was in attendance but was listed as inactive and replaced on the roster after pitching Saturday in Houston.

The American League secured its ninth consecutive All-Star Game win while the Astros have been apart of 12-straight between the American League and the National League.

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